UCLA Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley enjoyed a distinguished collegiate career. The junior started for three seasons in the PAC-12 and put up prolific numbers, culminating with a victory in the Valero Alamo Bowl over Kansas State.
Hundley is one of the top quarterback prospects in the draft this year. Most experts have him slotted behind Marcus Mariota of Oregon and Florida State’s Jameis Winston, likely to fall somewhere in the latter portion of the first round. However, there are some teams desperate for a quarterback behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans, the holders of the first two picks in the 2015 NFL Draft, respectively.
At 6’3 and 227 pounds, Hundley is going to draw plenty of attention after throwing for 9,971 yards, 75 touchdowns and 25 interceptions throughout his UCLA career. Going down the draft order, here are the teams that need a signal-caller with their draft slot preceding them.
6. New York Jets
7. Chicago Bears10. St. Louis Rams
16. Houston Texans
24. Arizona Cardinals
Of course, other organizations would have to consider drafting Hundley if he was available when they went on the clock. The Cleveland Browns pick 12th and can’t be thrilled about Johnny Manziel’s rookie season. A very intriguing team is the San Francisco 49ers at 15th, should the new head coach want to move away from Colin Kaepernick. The Kansas City Chiefs have Alex Smith but could want to find a franchise quarterback for the long-term future. Even the Philadelphia Eagles lurk as a possibility at 20th, provided Chip Kelly doesn’t love Nick Foles. One spot behind Philadelphia is the Cincinnati Bengals. Do they pull the trigger to push Andy Dalton and perhaps replace him?
Hundley is being projected by most to fall in the 20’s, but on draft night he won’t last long. Teams always get antsy and overdraft the quarterback position, whether it be Christian Ponder, Jake Locker or EJ Manuel. All were projected to go toward or in the second round, only to be snatched up in the top half of the first.
For the Jets, the pick is likely too high for Hundley. Despite their glaring need under center, New York must upgrade other spots before taking a sizable gamble. The Bears are also too high on the board and are currently tied to Jay Cutler, for better or worse.
After that, things become interesting. The Rams still have Sam Bradford, but do they trust him to stay healthy after torn ACLs in consecutive seasons? St. Louis has a roster built to compete for a playoff spot and only needs a quarterback. Houston might be the most logical destination for Hundley. The Texans have a terrific team in most areas but are sorely lacking a quarterback. If Hundley is on the board, it will be brutally tough for general manager Rick Smith to pass him up.
With the 24th selection, the Cardinals would have an fascinating call. If Hundley is available, do they take him and have Carson Palmer’s heir apparent? Or do they roll the dice on Palmer staying healthy and draft to fill an immediate need in hopes of a Super Bowl run in 2015?
One thing is for sure; Hundley will be a hot commodity come late April.
